Video: RailStaff Awards 2012 highlights

Listen to this article

Armed gangsters and flappers in feather boas welcomed 850 guests to this year’s RailStaff Awards at the ICC in Birmingham. Fat Tony and his gang shepherded rail barons, hitmen and mobsters along a gallery and into the legendary Rail Seventeen Club.

Dressed in smart suits and fedoras, hoods and molls sipped illicit Long Island Iced Tea cocktails served in cups and saucers. They were then were whisked off to a 1920s New York street speakeasy.

The RailStaff Awards 2012 was hosted by Colin Flack of the Rail Alliance. Awards on the night ranged from Rail Engineer of the Year won by Chris Hooper from telent for his work on London Underground and DLR in preparation for the Olympics to Rail Team of the Year won by Stobart Rail for completing a job on Manchester Metrolink against all the odds and the Manchester rain.

New awards won this year were for the Samaritans/Network Rail Partnership Lifesaver of the Year Award won by Sharon Willet from East Coast Trains for her work intervening in a young man trying to commit suicide and Sustainability Engineer of the Year won by Tahir Ayub of Network Rail.

The Rail Person of the Year was won by Cheryle Cowell of Heathrow Express at the first time of entering for asking all drivers to work a day of their rest for a colleague to work back 72 days to the company after nursing his mother in Brazil.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house when a special award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Railway Children Charity Founder David Maidment, a video was shown and David took to the stage to a standing ovation. It was then announced that in honour of all that David has achieved, next year the Awards will include the inaugural David Maidment Charity Award for rail workers who have done extraordinary things for a good cause.

A collection was held on the evening for Railway Children and we are awaiting confirmation of the final amount raised.

The gangster party theme continued throughout the night with a police raid and gunfire. Fat Tony reckoned there were three police snitches in the audience – representing gangs from Italy, Ireland and Coventry. Goodfellas Pino de Rosa of Bridgeway Consulting, Paulie “Blue Eyes” Curtis of Rail Media, a lifelong Coventry City fan, and David Franks soon to take up the CEO role at Irish Railways took the stage for a chat with Fat Tony.

People in charge of possessions and safe systems advisors were quickly on the scene. Shoot outs and dancers made this a memorable party. When it comes to backing the people who deliver Britain’s railways, guests agreed there’s no finer way to celebrate than in railway speakeasy with good food, dancing, comedy and a chance to catch up with friends.

If you are interested in sponsoring an award next year, booking a table or just nominating someone, email [email protected]

Visit www.railstaffawards.com for the list of all winners and up to date photos of the party in action.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Rail News

ORR review leads to 50% reduction in maximum fees for ticket refunds

New rules will mean that from 2 April the maximum fee that train operators and ticket retailers can charge...

More like this...